Box-cover.



No. 798,122. PATBNTED AUG. 29, 1905.

' E. M; WRIGHT.

BOX COVER APPLICATION FILED MAY 14:, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFIDE.

ETNA MARSH WRIGHT, OF GRAND RAPIDS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO F. HARVEY GEE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, WISCONSIN.

BOX-COVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed May 14., 1004. Serial N0. 208,030.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ETNA MARSH WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Wood and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Box-Cover, of which the following is a specification.

' of being conveniently returned to the top of the box to close the latter.

It is furthermore designed to provide for tilting-either section of the lid upon the top of the box to partially uncover the top thereof and to display advertising matter thereon.

WVith these and other objects in View the present invention consists in. the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end view of a box provided with the cover of the present invention in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar View with the cover-sections folded against the outer sides of the box 'to uncover the top thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the box, showing the hinges upon the inner side thereof. Fig. 4 is an end view showing one of the cover-sections tilted upon the top of the box.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every figure of the drawings.

To illustrate the present invention an ordinary box 1 has been shown in the drawingsas, for instance, a cigar-boxalthough it will of course be understood that the invention is also applicable to cake and cracker boxes, eggcrates, and, in fact, any character of packing and storing boxes.

In carrying out the present invention the lid or cover is formed in opposite longitudinal duplicate sections 2 and 3, each of which is projected beyond the end of the box and provided upon the under side of the projected portion with a transverse cleat 4 to stiffen and strengthen the lid-section and to brace the same against endwise strains.

Adjacent the inner edge of each member and pendent from the cleat thereof is a movable hinge member 5, which is provided with a vertical slot 6 adjacent the inner edge of the lid-section and also provided with a horizontal slot 7, communicating with the top of the upright slot, whereby the hinge member is provided with a bayonet-slot or a slot of inverted substantially L shape.

While the hinge member 5 may be cast and provided with a flange for connection with the under side of the projected end of the topsection, it is preferred to form the same of heavy wire, which is bent intermediately to produce the slotted portion 6, one end portion of the wire being bent laterally outward, as at 8, and then bent upwardly at right angles to form a spur or prong 9, corresponding to the similar prong 10 formed by the opposite end of the Wire. The prongs 9 and 10 are driven into the under side of the projected end of the cover-section, so that the cover cooperates with the portion 8 to form the horizontal slot 7. This specific construction of the movable hinge member is preferred in view of its simplicity, durability, and inexpensiveness, as it may be formed of different sizes of wire, according to the size of the box and the use to which it is to be put.

To loosely connect the movable hinge member to the end of the box, a stationary hinge member 11 in the form of an eye or staple is driven in the end of the box, so as to normally engage the outer end of the slotted portion 7 and to permit of said portion of the movable member being slid endwise through the staple or eye.

In opening either of the lid-sections it is first slid outwardly until stopped by the stationary member 11, after which the outer edge of the lid-section is tilted downwardly upon and does not obstruct any portion of the box.

It will be noted that the flanges or cleats 4c embrace the ends of the box in the open as well as the closed position of the lid, wherefore all endwise strains are taken up by the lid and not imparted to the hinges.

Instead of swinging each lid-section downwardly against the outer sides of the box either or both of the sections may be merely slid outwardly to their outer limits, so as to partially open the box, which may be sufficientfor some purposes, or one section may be entirely open while the other remains in its closed position or slid outwardly, as desired.

By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the present form of hinge may be employed upon the inner side of the box equally as Well as upon the outer side thereof.

If desired, one of the lid-sections may be tilted upwardly upon the stationary hinge member as a center, with its inner edge resting upon the top of the box, as indicated in Fig. 4, whereby any advertising matter upon the outer and inner sides of the cover may be effectually displayed. When one of the lid-sections is placed in a tilted position across the top of the box, the other lid-section may remain in its closed position, or it may be opened to its limit in order that access may be had to the interior of the box at opposite sides of the lid-section which is disposed in a tilted position to display advertising matter-such, for instance, as the characteristics of the contents of the box.

While the invention has been illustrated in the drawings in connection with a two-part lid, it will of course be understood that it is equally applicable to a single cover closing the entire top of the box without making any alteration or changes whatsoever in any of the parts of the device.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the present hinge includes a movable member having an inverted substantially L-shaped guideway consisting of the horizontal portion 8 and the contiguous upright portion of the member 5 and a stationary member with which the guideway of the movable member is slidably engaged to permit of the movable member being slid upon the stationary member and then tilted or swung thereon to permit of the movement of the cover of the box from the top of the latter into an upright position at one side thereof.

The tilting of the movable member is permitinverted substantially L-shaped guideway,and

a stationary hinge member carried by one end of the box with the guideway of the movable member slidably engaged therewith, the normally horizontal member of the guideway being of a length to permit of the cover being slid edgewise to one sideof the box and then tilted to bring the stationary hinge member into the other member of the guideway.

2. The combination of a box, a cover slidable across the top of the box, a movable hinge member hung from the cover and provided with an inverted substantially L-shaped slot forming a guideway, and a stationary hinge member passed through the slot and driven into the adjacent end of the box, the normally horizontal member of the guideway being of a length to permit of the cover being slid edgewise to one side of the box and then tilted to bring the stationary hinge member into the other member of the guideway.'

3. The combination of abox, a cover, a movable hinge member depending from the cover and including a substantially'U-shaped portion having one terminal thereof driven into the under side of the cover, the other side of theU-shaped portion being extended horizontally outward with its terminal provided with an upstanding prong driven into the cover, and a staple driven into the end of the box and embracing the horizontal portion of the movable hinge member adjacent the outer end thereof in the closed position of the cover.

4. A hinge comprising a movable member having a substantially L-shaped guideway, and provided with -means for rigidly attaching the member to the part to be hinged and a stationary hinge member having the guideway of the movable member slidably engaged therewith.

5. A hinge comprising a movable member having a substantially L-shaped slot and provided with means for rigidly attaching the member to the part to be hinged and a stationary hinge member in the form of a headed fastening to be driven through the slot with the movable member slidable thereon.

6. .A hinge comprising a movable member having a substantially U-shaped portion with one terminal formed into a prong constituting a longitudinal continuation of said side, the other side being shorter than the firstmentioned side and having an arm extending I laterally outward therefrom with its extremity formed into a prong extending in the same direction and substantially parallel with the first-mentioned prong, and a staple constituting a stationary member to straddle the arm and form a slidable connection between the two members.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ETN A MARSH WRIGHT. Witnesses:

W. J. CONWAY, KATIE KAMMERER. 

